IV: DIALOGUE

CASE STUDY: EVOLUTIONARY NEUROSCIENCE & NATURE VS NURTURE

Science is not a solitary process, but a social one. Only through active discussion and debate can understanding emerge. Students learn about evolutionary neuroscience in preparation for the classic nature vs. nurture debate. Are people born smart or do they become so? Does natural selection or culture account for our moral values? Is there a genetic basis for gender identity?

Activities:

1. Groups compare structures across real human and animal brains while learning about evolutionary neuroscience. If brains look different due to selection pressures, how different might the mights of various animals be? To what extend is evolution responsible for the minds we have today?

2. Teams are assigned to defend various positions in the nature vs. nurture debate. They must back up their arguments using scientific evidence that teachers provide.